Roll forging machine



July 1939- J. H. GETTIG 2,165,543

ROLL FORGING MACHINE 7 Filed May 27, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 v I've/67 72 0? July 11, 1939- .1. H. GETTIG ROLL FQRGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2'7, 1958 y 11, 1939- J. H. GETTIG 2,165,543

ROLL FORGING MACHINE Filed May 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J q: 059p V 21/ mzmw y 1939- J. H. GETTIG 2,165,543

ROLL FORGING mourns Filed May 27, 1938 5 Sheets-SheetA July 11, 1939. ,1. H. GETTIG 2,165,543

ROLL FORGING MACHINE Filed May 27, 1938 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jilly 11, 1939 PATENT OFFICE ROLL FORGING MACHINE Joseph H. Gettig, Buchanan, Mich, assignor to Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application May 27, 1938, Serial No. 210,293

15 Claims. (01. 80-11) This invention relates to a roll forging machine, and more particularly is directed to a machine of this type employed for swaging down the oppositely extending arms of a tubular axl 5 housing blank.

I am familiar with the swaging operations employed in the manufacture of rear axle housings from one piece tubular'blanks as described in detail in the Spatta Patent No. 1,962,944 issued June 12, 1934, in which hydraulic swaging dies are employed for reducing the diameter of such arms. In the use of'such a mechanism, considerable effort is required to pass the housing arm through the successive dies, and the time required for these operations is such as to render the cost of this part of the process relatively high.

Other forms of swaging mechanisms have been employed for this purpose, including hydraulic reciprocating diesoperating about the periphery of the blank as described in detail in the Gettig and Spatta application, Serial No. 144,181, filed May 22, 1937.

The present invention constitutes an improvement over these prior processes, and results in 5 a greatly reduced expenditure of time and labor for producing the desired reduction of the blank.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a method of reducing the arms, of an axle housing blank which comprises placing the blank in a heated condition in a carriage and alternately moving the blank into and out. of engagement with oppositely disposed pairs of roll members to effect reduction of the diameter of the projecting ends of the blank, the carriage progressively moving forward in successive steps to move the blank through the various stages of reduction in the rolls. In addition, I preferably provide suitable means for automatically controlling-the position of the carriage and the reciprocation of the blank, as well as means for feeding the blank to the carriage and also for expelling the blank from the carriage at the end of the rolling operation. Y

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that will function to carry out the above described process, and which is simple in design, economical in operation; and which may be readily controlled by a single operator. This apparatus constitutes a carriage within which the blank is centered and which is provided with suitable. means for locking the blank against relative movement longitudinally of the carriage. 'I'he carriage is also provided with a rotatable support for the blank, whereby the blank can be oscillated about its longitudinal the successive roll surfaces,-whereby the oper- -machine; i 1

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view with por- 55 axis between the successive rolling operations to insure maintenance of the circular shape of the arms so that they will not be rolled outof shape by successive rollings in the same plane.

Suitably connected with the carriage is an 6 operators .platform upon which are mounted various controls for reciprocating the carriage to move the blank longitudinally, and for releasing and re-indexing the carriage for the successive rolling operations. Other controls are pro- 10 vided -for selectively actuating the pairs of rolls whichswage down the blank, and at the limiting points in the travel of the carriage, the operator is so positioned that he may control the feeding of blanks to the carriage and the expulsion of the finished blanks from'the carriage.

One of the main advantages of the present invention is the" rapidity with which the rolling operation may be carried out and the relatively short time required for locating .and indexing the blank in its various positions.

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision or hydraulically controlled mechanism for moving the blank into position between ator at no time is required to manually lift or transport the blank-during any part of the rolling operations.

Thecarriage itself is mounted upon a pair of rail members extending b'etween the two pairs of rolls, and'suitable means isprovided for looking the carriage in each of the successive positions which it must take for efiecting the successive stepsin' the reduction of the ends of the blank. Suitable hydraulic means are provided for moving the carriage from one indexed position to the next position, and the indexing means automatically locks the carriage in position and cuts OK the hydraulic actuating means at each successive stage.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, will disclose to those skilled in" the art the particular construction and operation of a preferred form of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, somewhat diagrammatic, showing the layout for the roll swaging machine and the auxiliary mechanism required for feeding and discharging the blanks from the tions broken away showing the detailsof the carriage and controls therefor;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with one pair of rolls removed, and showing the manner in which the carriage moves through the successive stages during the rolling operation;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the carriage with the rolls shown more or less diagrammatically;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the manner in which the housing is supported for oscillation in the carriage; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 56 of Figure 5.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I have provided a pair of rails 5 which are inclined downwardly to receive tubular blanks coming from the furnace, which blanks are discharged onto a conveying mechanism 6 having mounted at the side thereof a chain mechanism I which urges the blanks longitudinally of the trough or conveyor to pass them into the roll forming machine indicated generally at 8.

The roll forming machine 8 comprises two identical sections 9 and I0, each of the sections including a housing l2 within which is mounted the mechanism for supporting and driving the respective pairs of skip rolls l3 and I4 mounted on the shaft i6 extending between the housing l2 and the end supports IT. The rolls l3 and I4, as indicated more clearly in-Figure 4, are semi-cylindrical in shape, and have the opposite halves thereof cut away, as indicated in dotted lines, to allow free entrance of the end of the blank therebetween. Each of the rolls l3 and I4 is provided with a series of arcuate grooves therein indicated generally at 22, each groove being progressively smaller in radius from the journal supports II toward the housings l2.

The respective pairs of rolls i3 and I4 of each of the members 3 and=l0 are geared together for conjoint rotation in opposite directions, being driven from an electric motor 23 mounted on the members 9 and I0, and driving through a suitable multiple belt drive 24 any suitable gear mecha nism producing opposite rotation of the shafts l6 upon which the rolls l3 and I4 are mounted. The gear driving mechanism is controlled by the clutch mechanism shown generally at 25 whereby the' motors 23 run continuously, but selective operation of the clutch mechanisms 25 results in selective actuation of either pair of the rolls. After the blank has been 'rolled to the proper diameter, a suitable expulsion plunger 26 mounted in the cylinder 21 is adapted to be actuated by the operator for pushing the blank into the roll conveyor 28 whereby the finished blank is carried off. to the next succeeding operation.

Extending between the respective pairs of rolls are a pair of rail members indicated generally at 30 and 32. These rail members provide parallel spaced tracks projecting longitudinally between the rolls and at one end thereof are adapted to receive a suitable bracket 33 forming the forward support for a hydraulic cylinder 34 mounted thereon and rigidly held in horizontaLposition thereby. The cylinder 34 is adapted to have the plunger 35 mounted for reciprocatory movement therein, this plunger in turn being connected through a suitable trunnion 36 with a movable carriage indicated generally at 31 and provided with grooved wheels 38 whereby the'carriage 31- is movable'along the rails toward and away from the cylinder upon actuation of the plunger 35.

Considering nowin more detail the carriage 31, this carriage has an underframe portion which provides a rigid support for the wheels 38 and which has a depending portion 39 forming a trunnioned support 40 for a hydraulic cylinder 42 which is pivotally mounted thereon for lateral oscillation and which is provided with an extending plunger 43 movable vertically therein and connected to the reciprocating carriage 44 connected to the upper end of the plunger. The carriage 44 has a central longitudinally extending cylindrical body portion 45 provided with offset stud portions 46 adapted to carry rollers 41 suitably guided in channels 48 formed in transversely extending members 43 carried by the carriage 31.

Thus, upon actuation of the hydraulic plunger 43 the carriage 44 may be moved longitudinally of the member 49 from a substantially central position toward the inoperative pair of skip rolls, as will be described in detail hereinafter, thereby moving transversely to the direction of movement of the carriage 31. Mounted within the portion 45 of the carriage 44 is the axle housing. blank 50 which has been slotted in its central portion, as described in detail in the Spatta Patent #1,895,589, issued January 31, 1933. This slotted portion fits within the enlarged portion of the housing 44, and the extending arms of the blank are rotatably supported within the cylindrical ends 52 of the reciprocating carriage.

A suitable key member indicated generally at 53 and having a handle portion 54 is adapted to be disposed in the slotted portion of the housing and has its end surfaces bearing against the annular portions 52 of the carriage. The key member 53 may be oscillated from a normally vertically extending position to the positions shown at A and B in Figure 6, resulting in corresponding rotation of the blank 50. This in turn results in the rolls I 3 and I4 engaging different portions of the lateral periphery of the blank so that the reduction in diameter does not materially affect the cylindrical section of the blank, and a uniform reduction is provided without tending to make the extendingarms ovalshaped. It will be' noted that the key 53 has two downwardly extending portions 55 and 56 which engage upon opposite sides of a central abutment 51 formed in the carriage 44. This looks the key against endwise displacement at its lower end, and insures that the housing 50 will not be longitudinally moved with respect-to the carriage 44 during the rolling operations.

The carriage 44 is provided with cut-out portions forming stop surfaces 60 and 62 for limiting the amount of oscillation of the key member 53, and is also provided with the spaced parallelly extending ears 63 between which the upper end of the plunger 43 is trunnioned.

Although not shown in the drawings, both the carriage 44 and the rails 49 are of hollow section and are suitably water-cooled to protect the operator against excessive heat during manipulation of the machine.

At their outer ends the rails 49 are provided with suitable stop members 34 which are adapted to engage the rollers 41 for limiting endwise movement of the carriage 44 within the rails. These stop members are secured by means of suitable bolts 65 to the sides of the rails 49 as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 4.

The carriage 31 is provided with a pair of spaced webs 36 which form supports for a cross shaft 51 upon which is mounted the extending lever 68. Upon raising of the lever, suitable cam projecareas-is tions 89 carried by the shaft are rotated withrespect to the depending arms 18 moving these arms axially toward each other against the pressure of springs 12 encircling the shaft. The

' lower ends of the arms are provided with pins along the rails 38 and 32 in such manner as to.

locate the center of the carriage 44 in alinement with the grooves in the skip rolls.

The lever 58 also carries suitable mechanism such as an eccentric 15 operating a valve plunger IS in a valve body 11 secured to the carriage for controlling the operation of the plunger 35 in the cylinder 34. This valve member I! has two connections, such as indicated at 18 and 18 in Figure 1, to the opposite ends of the cylinder 34- whereby, when the lever is raised, it opens the. connection I9 to pressure and opens the connection 18 to exhaust, thereby forcing the plung-' er inwardly of the cylinder and thus moving the carriage inwardly toward the frames l2 until such time as the springs return the pins 13 into engagement with the next successive pair of openings 14 in the side rails. The operator merely raises the lever to release the pins and then allows the lever to drop back to its neutral position whereby the cylinder moves the carriage 31 until such time as the springs may again force the pins into engagement with the next suc- .Supported below the carriage in any suitable manner is an operators platform 88 having mounted thereon a pair of foot treadle members, as indicated at 82 in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The operator is able to stand upon the platform 88 with the lever 88 approximately at waist level,

and with his feet is able to control the actuation of the foot pedals 82 in such manner as to selectively actuate the clutches 25 for selectively operating one or the other pair of skip rolls. Preferably, the pedals control suitable valve mechanisms for fluid pressure control, through the lines 88 and 84, of the clutches 25.

- Mounted at the side of the carriage 31 toward the operator is a bracket 82 which carries a suitable valve body 93 controlled by a valve operating member 84. The valve 83 has inlet and outlet connections 85 and 88 which in turn are connected to the opposite ends of the oscillating cylinder 42. With this mechanism, the operator is able to apply fluid pressure to the bottom of the plunger in the cylinder 42 for moving the housing carriage 44 longitudinally along the rails 48. However, since the ends of the housing 50, which is locked in the carriage, are moved in the initial operation of the plunger 43 into a position between one pair of skiprolls l3 and I4, it will be apparent that when the skip rolls are actuated by the corresponding treadle 82 they will throw the carriage 44 longitudinally of the rails 48 and thereby force the oscillating plunger 43 downwardly in the cylinder 42 against the pressure therein. As the cylinder passesover center position, this pressure is again exerted to move the cylinder further in the direction imparted to the carriage by the rolls, and consequently the operator need not reactuate the valve member in order to insure flill travel thereof to the opposite end of the rails 49. Similarly, when the opp site pair of skip rolls then acts upon the housing,

the housing carriage is again kicked toward the other end of the rails compressing the fluid in v the cylinder 42 so that as it passes over center this compressed fluid will again be effective to further the movement of the housing carriage to the other endof the rails. Thus the skip rolls act to initiate movement of carriage 44 from one extreme position to just past over center position, when the pressure in cylinder 43 becomes effective to carry on this movement to the opposite extreme position adjacent the inactive pair of skip rolls. After the housing has been rolled in one set of grooves *by the skip rolls, the lever 88 is actuated to release the carriage 31 for movement, and simultaneously, the plunger 35 draws the carriage 31 along the rails 38 and 32 to the second roll position whereby actuation of the valve 82 will result in moving the housing carriage 44 betweenone pair of skip rolls, and the entire cycle of rolling operations for the next reduction of the housing is then effected.

When a suflicient number of reductions have,

been effected to produce the desired shape of the blank, the carriage 31 has moved toward its inner limiting position in alinement between the plunger 26 and the conveyor 28. The operator is then in position to actuate the control 95 for admitting fluid under pressure to the rear end of the cylinder 21, and consequently moving the plunger 26 into engagement with the reduced end of the housing. The key 53 has at this time been removed,- and further movement of the plunger therefore moves the housing blank through the carriage 44 and onto the rollers "of the conveyor 28 whereby the reduced housing blank may be removed from the apparatus and the carriage returned to its outer position for receiving the next blank from the conveyor 6.

It is therefore apparent that the operator on the platform 88 is entirely in control of the blank from the time that it is inserted into the housing carriage '44 until after it is discharged therefrom, and by use of the lever 68, the foot treadles 82, and the valve 92, is able to control the amount and manner in which the reductions'are carried on for each blank.

It is therefore believed apparent that I have provided a novel type of swaging machine which is eflicient in operation, is easily controlled by a single operator, and which facilitates the reducsaid body movable transversely thereof, and

- means for clamping a tubular blank in said carriage including means providing for limited rotation of said blank therein.

2. A roll forging machine comprising laterally spaced pairs of skip rolls, each pair having axially spaced sets of grooves therein of successively decreasing radius, a track extending longitudinally between said pairs of rolls, a carriage body thereon, means for moving said body successively into transverse alinement with each set of grooves, a carriage mounted for transverse reciprocatory movement in said body, and means for supporting a tubular blank in said carriage.

3. A roll forging machine comprising laterally spaced pairs of skip rolls, a track extending longitudinally between said pairs of rolls, a carriage body thereon movable lengthwise between said rolls, a transversely reciprocable carriage in said body having a cylindrical portion adapted to receive the central portion of a tubular blank, and means engageable therein for locking said blank against longitudinal movement relative to said carriage and for rotating the same.

4. In combination, in a roll forging machine, a track, a carriage body movable therealong and having transversely extending track portions, a carriage having rollers engageable with said track portions and adapted to receive a tubular blank therein, and a hydraulic cylinder trunnioned transversely on said carriage body and having a piston connected to said carriage for reciprocating the same transversely of said body from a substantially central position.

5. A roll forging machine comprising two laterally spaced pairs of parallelly extending skip rolls, a track running lengthwise between said pairs of rolls, and means on said track movable longitudinally thereof and including a transverse- 1y reciprocating member adapted to receive and support a tubular blank for alternate movement into and out of engagement with each pair of skip rolls.

6. A carriage for a roll forging machine comprising a body member movable longitudinally between laterally spaced pairs of skip rolls, a tubular carriage mounted for transverse reciprocation in said body member, and a key member for looking a tubular blank against longitudinal movement in said carriage but providing for limited rotation of said blank therein.

7. The combination, with laterally spaced pairs of rolls, of a carriage body member movable lengthwise therebetween, a tubular carriage mounted for transverse reciprocation in said member, an operator's platform, foot treadle means on said platform for selectively actuating said rolls, and manually operable means for controlling movement of said body member and said carriage.

8. The combination, with laterally spaced pairs of rolls, of a carriage body member movable lengthwise therebetween, a tubular carriage mounted for transverse reciprocation insaid member, stop means for limiting transverse movement of said carriage in either direction, hydraulic means for moving said member through certain portions of its transverse movement, hydraulic means for moving said carriage, and independent manual control members for each of said hydraulic means.

9. The combination, with laterally spaced pairs of rolls, of a track running longitudinally therebetween, a carriage body member mounted on said track, hydraulic means for moving said member along said track, means for locking said member to said track at predetermined points thereon, and a, common control member operative to selectively release said locking means and actuate said hydraulic 'means.

10. The combination, with laterally spaced pairs of rolls, of a track running longitudinally therebetween, a carriage body member mounted on said track, hydraulic means for moving said member along said track, means for locking said member to said track at predetermined points thereon, a common control member for releasing said locking means and actuating said hydraulic means, and means for automatically reengagingsaid locking means at the next succeeding point on said track and deactuating said hydraulic means.

11. The combination, with laterally spaced pairs of rolls, of a track running longitudinally therebetween, a carriage body member mounted on said track, hydraulic means for moving said member along said track, means for locking said member to said track at predetermined points thereon, a carriage mounted for transverse movement in said body member and movable from one limiting position past over center position by the active rolls, hydraulic means for oscillating said carriage from said last-named position to the opposite limiting position, and independent control means mounted on said body member for actuating each of said hydraulic means.

12. The combination, with laterally spaced pairs of rolls, a track running longitudinally therebetween, and a carriage body on said track having spaced parallel transversely extending rails, of a carriage having a tubular central portion provided with rollers guided on said rails, and means pivotally supported by said body for assisting in moving said carriage part way along said rails.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said last-named means comprises a hydraulic cylinder trunnioned for transverse swinging movement on said body and having a piston pivotally connected to said carriage.

14. The combination of claim 12 further characterized in the provision of means on said rails limiting transverse movement of said carriage, and means engageable in said central portion of said carriage for clamping a tubular blank therein and having limited lateral movement in said central portion to rotate said blank.

15. In a roll forging machine for reducing the arms of a tubular blank, pairs of laterally spaced parallelly extending skip rolls, a trackway therebetween, means movable longitudinally between said pairs of rolls on said trackway and including a transversely reciprocable carriage, means for selectively moving said carriage from over center position toward the inactive rolls, and means in said carriage adapted to receive a tubular blank and including means for clamping the central portion against longitudinal movement with respect to said carriage whereby said reciprocation' thereof moves the extending arms of said blank selectively between associated pairs of said skip rolls.

JOSEPH H. GETTIG. 

